Equality has always been an intrinsic part of America. The American Revolution, Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Suffrage-they are all examples of the American doctrine of egalitarianism. However, it would seem that this tenet is currently being challenged by the policy of Affirmative Action.

Affirmative Action is defined as any policy that aims to provide equal opportunity to all groups of people. It was first implemented in the mid-1900s during a time of racial turmoil, aiming to secure working opportunities for minority groups, particularly African Americans. At the time, Affirmative Action was indeed beneficial for the country. With racism still rife in the country, it was necessary for the federal government to intervene and ensure equal opportunity. As a result, the number of minorities in the workplace had increased substantially. However, affirmative action has begun to focus more on the educational sphere, which has given rise to myriad problems.

There are many problems with the current use of Affirmative Action. Firstly, it implies that certain ethnic groups are inferior to others, as they require special help. Furthermore, it would lower the standards of students in these ethnic groups. This will cause students to strive for less and achieve only what is expected of them. However, perhaps the largest detriment of Affirmative Action is that it would give rise to racial discrimination. In addition to providing equal opportunities for college, Affirmative Action now seeks to maintain diversity. While this may seem to be a positive for the country, it contradicts the American tenet of equality. Admission officers are now allowed to discriminate and reject and accept applicants based in part on their race.

This is particularly harmful for Asian-Americans. Since the Asian population has risen so dramatically, Asian applicants face more difficulties when compared to other ethnicities. According to a Princeton study, it was found that Asian students had to score a 140 points higher on the SAT than other students. This is a major problem in the education system. It seems as though education is not based off of intellectual ability, but racial preference. While it is important to maintain diversity in colleges, it is far more important that qualified students get the opportunity they deserve regardless of their color.

Some argue that minority groups like Hispanics and African Americans still do not possess the ability to afford a quality education and subsequently require affirmative action to ensure equal opportunities. While this may be true, it is important to take into account that many Asian families also struggle financially. An Asian student from a poor background will be discriminated against despite having the same difficulties as the other minority groups for which Affirmative Action is designed to protect. On the other hand, an African American who comes from a wealthy background will possess an unfair advantage over other students. Affirmative Action is an outdated policy whose benefits have been outweighed by its disadvantages. It directly contradicts the American Constitution and has given rise to racial discrimination, which is the very thing that it was designed to prevent. The time has come to put an end to the great hypocrisy that is Affirmative Action

<Jaeyub Chung AlisoNiguel High school 11th Grade>